Faculty

portrait of J.P. Moreland

J.P. Moreland

Distinguished Professor of Philosophy

  • Ph.D., University of Southern California
  • M.A., University of California, Riverside
  • Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary
  • B.S., University of Missouri

CV Document (PDF)

With degrees in philosophy, theology, and chemistry, Dr. Moreland has taught theology and philosophy at several schools throughout the U.S. He has authored, edited, or contributed papers to thirty-five books, including Does God Exist? (Prometheus), Universals (McGill-Queen’s), and Consciousness and the Existence of God (Routledge) and Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology (Blackwell).  He has also published over 75 articles in journals such as Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, American Philosophical Quarterly, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, MetaPhilosophy, Philosophia Christi, Religious Studies, and Faith and Philosophy. Dr. Moreland served with Campus Crusade for 10 years, planted two churches, and has spoken on over 200 college campuses.

Affiliations

  • Alpha Chi Sigma (Chemical Honorary Fraternity)
  • National Executive Committee of the Society of Christian Philosophers
  • American Philosophical Association
  • Evangelical Philosophical Society
  • Evangelical Theological Society
  • American Scientific Affilliation
  • Interdisciplinary Bibilical Research Institute
  • Society of Christian Philosophers
  • University Faculty for Life
  • National Advisory/Executive Committee of the Evangelical Philosophical Society

Awards and Honors

  • Fellow of the Wilberforce Forum, 2001 to present.
  • Member of the Executive Committee for the Evangelical Philosophical Society (1999-2003, 2006 to present).
  • Member of the Advisory Board for Philosophia Christi, (1999 to 2003).
  • Winner of the Senior Class Professor of the Year, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, 1998-99.
  • Winner of the Robert Fischer Faculty Member of the Year Award, Biola University, 1998-99.
  • Fellow of the Center for the Renewal of Science & Culture, Discovery Institute, 1403 Third Ave. Suite 400, Seattle, Washington 98101. (2000-present)
  • Elected as a Member of the Executive Committee for the Society of Christian Philosophers, (1997-99).
  • University Faculty Award for Excellence in Integrating Christian Theology and Other Academic Disciplines, Biola University, (1996-97).
  • Senior Class Professor of the Year, Biola University, 1992-93.
  • Winner of the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award, Lakin School of Religion, Liberty University, 1988-89.

Publications

Books

  • “Life After Death, Substance Dualism and the Awareness of the Self,” in Is There Life After Death:  The Debate (tentative title), ed. by Robert Stewart (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press, forthcoming).

  • “Christianity, Neuroscience, and Dualism,” in Blackwell Companion to Science and Christianity, ed. by James Stump, Alan Padgett (Oxford and Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell, 2012).

  • "Four Degrees of Postmodernism," in Come Let Us Reason: New Essays in Christian Apologetics, ed. by Paul Copan, William Lane Craig (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2012)

  • "Theistic and anti-Theistic Arguments from Human Nature," in The Routlege Companion to Theism, ed. by Charles Taliaferro, Victoria Harrison, Stewart Goeta (N.Y.: Routledge, forthcoming, 2012).

  • “God and the Argument from Consciousness,” in Dialogs on Christian Theism, co-editor with Chad Meister, Khaldoun Sweis (N. Y.: Oxford University Press, forthcoming, 2012).

  • Dialogs on Christian Theism, co-editor with Chad Meister, Khaldoun Sweis (N. Y.: Oxford University Press, forthcoming, 2012).

  • “How Evangelicals Became Over-Committed to the Bible and What Can Be Done About It,” in Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Authority of Scripture II: Scientific and Theoretical Perspectives, ed. by Carlos Bovell (Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2011).

  • "Dualism, Anthropological," (with Scott Rae) in Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics, ed. by Joel B. Green (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 2011), pp. 247-8.

  • “Grossmann on Existence and Property-Instances: Suarez’s Way Out,” in Studies on the Ontology of Reinhardt Grossmann edited by Javier Cumpa Arteseros (Frankfurt: Ontos Verlag, 2010), pp. 177-90.

  • “Neuroscience and Substance Dualism,” in The Nature of Nature, ed. by William Dembski, Bruce Gordon (Wilmington, Delaware: ISI Books, forthcoming, 2010).

  • “The Image of God and the Failure of Scientific Naturalism,” in God is Great, God is Good, ed. by William Lane Craig, Chad Meister (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2009), pp. 32-48.

  • The Recalcitrant Imago Dei: Human Persons and the Failure of Naturalism (London: S. C. M. Press, 2009). This is reviewed in the Journal of Theological Studies.

  • “The Argument from Consciousness,” in A Companion to Natural Theology, co-edited with William Lane Craig (Oxford and Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell, 2009).

Journals

  • "Mental vs. Top-Down Causation: Sic et Non, (out for review).

  • "A Critique of and Response to Nancey Murphy's Physicalism," (out for review).

  • "A Conceptual Argument for Substance Dualism" Religious Studies (forthcoming).

  • "Oppy on the Argument from Consciousness," Faith and Philosophy 29 (January 2012): 70-83.

  • “Exemplification and Constituent Realism:  A Clarification and Modest Defense,” Axiomathes (May 2011).

  • “Substance Dualism and the Argument from Self-Awareness,” Philosophia Christi (Summer 2011).

  • "God and the Argument from Consciousness: A Response to Lim," European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 3/2 (Autumn 2011).

  • “Oppy on the Argument from Consciousness: A Rejoinder,” *European Journal for Philosophy of Religion* 3:1 (Spring 2011): 213-26.

  • “The Origin of the Soul in Light of Twinning, Cloning and Frozen Embryos,” Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics 3.1 (2010):

  • “Searle’s Rapprochement between Naturalism and Libertarian Agency:  A Critique,” Philosophia Christi 11 (Spring 2009):  189-99.

  • “Naturalism and the Crisis of the Soul,” Faith & Mission 24:4 (2008):  50-60.

  • “Naturalism and How it is Affecting Culture,” Faith & Mission 24:4 (2008):  38-48.

  • “Truth and Postmodernism,” Areopagus Journal 8:3 (May/June 2008): 10-16.

  • “Speaking to the Mind of the Age Part II,” The Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society 8 (March 2008):  42-63.

  • “On Willard’s Knowing Christ Today,” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 2 (Fall 2009): 252-56.

Magazines

  • “Thinking as a Christian,” with Bill Sherman, Tulsa World February 13, 2010, p. A 15.

  • “The Power of God’s Kingdom and Ministry,” Ministry 81 (May 2009): 1-3.

  • “Responding to Religulous with a Confident Faith,” Biola Magazine Winter 2009, pp. 26-27.

  • “Jesse Jackson and the Minimum Wage,” TrueU.org November 20, 2008.

  • “Human Persons, Secularism and Sexual Perversion,” TrueU.org October 9, 2008.

  • “Human Persons, Gratitude and Happiness,” TrueU.org September 11, 2008.

  • “Interview on In Search of a Confident Faith,” (with Klaus Issler) World Magazine Volume 23, number 19 (September 20 2008).

  • “Naturalism and Rationality,” TrueU.org August 14, 2008.

  • “Naturalism and Equal Rights,” TrueU.org July 10, 2008.

  • “Naturalism and the Self,” TrueU.org June 12, 2008.

Presentations

  • “Integration Workshop,” delivered at a faculty workshop, Lancaster Bible College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, April 5, 2010.

  • “The Lost Virtue of Happiness,” delivered at Oklahoma Baptist University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 19, 2010.

  • “The God Question,” delivered at the University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 18, 2010.

  • “The Nature and Reality of the Soul,” delivered at Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 18, 2010.

  • “Interview,” Life from Tulsa, ABC television, Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 18, 2010.

  • “Kingdom Apologetics,” delivered at the Annual Worldview Conference of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 18, 2009.

  • “Why Christian Knowledge Matters,” delivered at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, November 18, 2009.

  • “Christian Philosophy in Global Context,” delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 18, 2009.

  • “Understanding Spiritual Experience,” delivered at California State at Stanislaw, Turlock, California, October 16, 2009.

  • “Knowledge of God and the Case for Christianity,” delivered at The Academy of Ethics and Christian Thought, El Paso, Texas, October 3, 2009.

  • "The Integration of Scripture and Academic Disciplines," delivered at a faculty forum, Truett-McConnell College, Cleveland, Georgia, August 11-12, 2010.

  • "Oppy on the Argument from Consciousness," delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, Atlanta, Georgia, November 17, 2010.

  • “The Lost Virtue of Happiness,” “Loving God with the Mind,” delivered at the Annual Conference of the ACSD, Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri, June 7-9, 2011.

  • “Science, Integration and Christian Worldview,” and “Panel Dialog with Karl Giberson,” delivered at The Pedagogy of Faith in the Science Classroom, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana, June 28-29, 2011.

  • “Christianity and the Nature of the State,” delivered at the Institute of Faith and Law, Rayburn House Building, Washington D. C., October 7, 2011.

  • “Oppy on the Argument from Consciousness:  A Rejoinder,” delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, San Francisco, CA, November 16, 2011.

  • “Bioethics, Substance Dualism and the Argument from Self-Awareness,” delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, San Francisco, CA, November 17, 2011.

  • “A Conceptual Argument for Substance Dualism,” delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, San Francisco, CA, November 18, 2011.

  • “A Conceptual Argument for Substance Dualism,” delivered at the Annual Meeting of the AAR/SBL, San Francisco, CA, November 19, 2011.

  • “Integration and the Christian Professor,” delivered at Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, CA, March 7, 2012.

  • “The Nature of Consciousness and the Soul”, “Christianity and Science,” delivered at Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana, March 14-16.

  • “The Soul and Life after Death,” delivered at the Greer-Heard Lectureship, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, April 13, 2012.

  • “Two Key Implications of our Distinctive Vineyard Calling,” delivered at the Society of Vineyard Scholars Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 26, 2012.

  • “Consciousness and the Soul,” delivered at Credo House, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 19, 2012.

  • “Christianity, Worldview and the Spiritual Life,” delivered at the National Staff Training, Christian Medical and Dental Society, Bristol, Tennessee, May 21-24, 2012.

Research Interests

  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Spiritual Formation
  • Metaphysics
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